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Our dishonest debates

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Illinois

* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…

I suppose it’s too much to expect that we get an honest debate about the need for more state revenues in the already active gubernatorial race. Candidates will be candidates and voters will be voters, after all.

Gov. Bruce Rauner’s campaign blasted out an e-mail last week telling supporters that newly announced billionaire Democratic candidate JB Pritzker wants to raise the state income tax to over 5 percent, which, the campaign claimed, would be “Higher than it was under Pat Quinn!”

Nevermind that Rauner himself privately supports raising state taxes to historically high levels. He’s OK with a 4.99 percent income tax rate and a 7 percent corporate tax rate. But he also backs a new tax on sugary beverages and a new sales tax on several services. If all that was implemented, the state government would be taxing residents billions of dollars more than it ever has before.

So, apparently, you can only be for the massive tax hikes that Rauner wants. Otherwise, you’ll be portrayed as being in House Speaker Michael Madigan’s hip pocket.

The Illinois Republican Party obtained audio of Pritzker speaking at a private Democratic event. In one snippet, Pritzker is heard saying: “Let’s remind everybody, the tax used to be 5 percent, and [Rauner] let it lapse down to three and three quarters percent. And that’s what started a lot of the problems that we’ve got in the state. So, if you just put it back that’s $5 billion dollars. That doesn’t get you everything you need, but it’s a good way toward, you know, toward getting real revenue in the state.”

The comment was eerily similar to one made by Speaker Madigan in late 2015. “A good place to begin,” Madigan said back then, “would be the level we were at before the income tax expired. Starting there, you can go in whatever direction you want to go.” Rauner immediately pounced on that comment to claim that Madigan wanted to raise the income tax above 5 percent, even though he never actually said that.

Pritzker’s private comments along with a claim that he’s in league with Madigan’s “plan” were sent to reporters hours before Pritzker’s official campaign kickoff.

“I think that we ought to start with the millionaires and billionaires and make sure that they’re paying taxes first,” Pritzker responded when asked, in apparent reference to a graduated income tax or a surcharge on the wealthy, “We’re not going to talk about raising taxes on middle class families until we take care of that problem,” the Sun-Times reported.

But taxation like that would require a constitutional amendment because the state’s Constitution mandates a flat income tax. And that means it would require a three-fifths majority in both legislative chambers, and the Republicans (along with some Democrats) have historically resisted a graduated tax. So, forget it.

After Pritzker’s press conference, the Republicans released yet another audio snippet of Pritzker admitting the hard truth about a graduated tax: “So let’s just talk about this flat income tax, because we’re not going to be able to turn it into a millionaire’s tax, a fair tax – it’s gonna take us three years.”
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The Republicans used that second snippet to claim that Pritzker wasn’t telling the truth to reporters earlier in the day. And their point has merit.

Rauner insists his plan is better because tax hikes are coupled with his reforms. But even his full package of reforms from back in 2015 would’ve only slightly moved the economic and budgetary needles, according to his very own analysis that he sent to legislators that year. His reform demands have since been significantly scaled back. And while some of his reforms are undoubtedly needed (particularly workers’ comp costs), much of the rest is little more than political window dressing (term limits) and have next to nothing to do with spurring growth.

We are in this hole because our leaders refused to be honest, starting with the 2011 “temporary” tax hike, right through the 2014 campaign, then allowing the tax hike to partially expire and then fighting over who would blink first on raising taxes and accepting “reforms.”

And the public prefers the lies. Polls show Illinoisans are convinced somebody else should solve the problem, either millionaires via taxation (which wouldn’t raise enough cash) or the faceless bureaucracy via cuts (except for just about every state program under the sun).

Again, I suppose it’s too much to ask that candidates and the governor are honest about this stuff. But that means this contest could not only turn out to be the most expensive in Illinois history, it could also be the most dishonest.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 9:07 am

Comments

Both sides are dishonest.

Unfortunately Rauner has the money to continue pushing his dishonest side of the equation.

Comment by MOON Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 9:24 am
===Unfortunately Rauner has the money to continue pushing his dishonest side of the equation.===

And he’s been far better at it than anyone else.

Comment by Cubs in '16 Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 9:32 am
Democrats designed a temporary tax increase designed to sunset to 3.75% after four years of increased revenues to shrink government and pay down bills.

Spending went up particularly on Medicaid and pension payments.

Before Rauner was inaugurated the tax went back from 5 percent to 3.75% as designed and passed by democrats.

JB Pritzker’s blaming Governor Rauner alone for the sunset that happened before he took office and ignoring the Democrats role in this is very troubling and dishonest

He is a Madigan puppet who will not confront the Speaker’s role in the state’s dysfunction

Comment by Lucky PIerre Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 9:37 am
===Before Rauner was inaugurated the tax went back from 5 percent to 3.75% as designed and passed by democrats===

Speaking of utterly dishonest, - Lucky Pierre - continues the dishonesty.

Candidate Bruce Rauner ran a campaign that was geared around letting the income tax sunset

Governor-Elect Rauner, begged, pleaded, and congratulated the GA for letting it sunset in between winning and being sworn in.

Had Rauner remained silent, you’d have a point.

Your blatently disingenuous comment, since you are reminded constantly about these historic facts, continues to be unhelpful.

This is the first time today you are being reminded that Rauner, as candidate and Governor-Elect, pushed and applauded the reduction.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 9:46 am
Rauner started with so many nonbudget reforms and is now just down to a few reforms. What a colossal waste of time. That’s bad governance, willful or not.

One big lesson I believe is that we all need to learn is to get what we can and try again next time. This happened with marijuana legalization in California, and MMJ and SSM here. It was very disappointing to fail the first time, but no one held up the budget or held hostages. Proponents tried again during future legislative sessions and elections. They waited, they built, they succeeded.

Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 9:47 am
CUBS

You are correct. The Dems do not have the money to compete with Rauner.

Comment by MOON Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 9:54 am
>His reform demands have since been significantly scaled back.

I’m not convinced of that. He’s never let himself be pinned down to anything approaching specifics on what he would settle for.

Comment by Earnest Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 9:56 am
Most politicians avoid the truth whenever possible. It’s what they do. What’s lacking are adequate media sources to call them out and “keep them honest” This site and a few others have highlighted the diminishing statehouse press corps and the rise of party controlled news; Dan Proft and the IPI to name two. Without multiple and skilled media outlets the voters only source for “facts” will be paid ads from the candidates and the political parties. Expensive indeed.

Comment by don the legend Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 10:37 am
LP:

Different day, same talking points.

Apparently the point of the article went totally over your head. I suppose that doesn’t surprise me since the argument has to do with dishonesty.

The rub is that NOBODY is being honest. The candidates. The Governor. NOBODY. You can’t begin to solve problems when nobody wants to have an honest discussion. NONE of them, including the Governor, want to have an honest discussion.

Comment by Demoralized Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 10:46 am
==He is a Madigan puppet==

You’ve bought into that talking point pretty well also. You have nothing to argue because the Governor has been an abject failure at being Governor so you hold onto the only talking point you can possibly have which is to turn the conversation toward Madigan. Maybe that anti-Madigan stuff will be enough. I don’t know. It’s all you have, though, when the Governor has no accomplishments to speak of. Of course, when you’re so busy playing the victim it’s hard to get anything done.

Comment by Demoralized Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 10:49 am
The Democrats passed a tax hike that was set to expire. There was an election that was at most a muddy referendum on whether the tax hike should be extended. The answer was no. How would it have been “honest” for the party who 1) assured the public the tax hike would expire and 2) had just lost the only statewide, non-gerrymandered vote touching the matter use their power to undo that promise? Rauner begging for the decision to be left to the next government to do whatever (make the hikes permanent, adjust them, make them part of a deal with other features) shouldn’t have been necessary.

Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 11:22 am
We have met the enemy and they are us, the voters.

Comment by Sir Reel Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 11:26 am
==Spending went up particularly on Medicaid and pension payments.==

The increased pension payments were paying down a debt, which has to be paid and bears interest considerably higher than bonds issued by the state. Don’t see why you have a problem with that, other than willful ignorance.

Comment by Whatever Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 11:27 am
For those that believe the path to prosperity is a return the disastrous 12 years of total democratic control of Springfield and the decline our state has experienced since then, Kennedy or Pritzker would certainly be a great choice for you.

They are not willing to call out the failure of democrats to govern or their refusal to lay out any agenda to restore economic growth to Illinois

Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 12:24 pm
For those with short memories, the tax increase in 2011 was designed to sunset.

State Government was supposed to tighten it’s belt and reduce spending making the extension unnecessary.

The usual suspects only blame Rauner for the debacle that raised spending before he was inaugurated.

What are the accomplishments of the Democrats over the past two years of divided government?

They are running on a constitutional amendment to pass a graduated income tax.

What makes them think they can accomplish that when it did not happen when the legislature, judicial and executive was run by supermajority democrats?

Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 12:48 pm
We are not even talking about what should be in the budget, we are stuck on arguing that we should have one. Those who advocate cuts need to specify the cuts they want. Very few state programs can be cut without losing federal dollars. That changes the math.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 2:37 pm
Its what we do. Argue over a budget. I still have that pork rind bet agreeing with those who’s say there won’t be one til after the 2018 election

Comment by blue dog dem Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 3:26 pm
You nailed it Rich. No one, pols or voters, want honest answers on either revenue or expenses. They only want to hear the rhetoric so that’s whet they give and that’s what we get. We are so (fill in your choice of expletive).

Comment by Peace, Love, and Guitars Monday, Apr 10, 17 @ 5:25 pm